1970 Ford Cobra - Once Bitten

Cobra Venom Has Made Arnie Starks a Lifelong Owner

For those of us who weren't of driving age during the heyday of factory muscle, the stories of those who were there, in the thick of things, seldom fail to entertain or enlighten. Take Arnie Starks, for instance. Arnie was 26 years old in 1970 and hot to buy a new muscle car. We might think such buyers of the day typically had a particular genre in mind, say, a brute quarter-mile bruiser, or a "junior" muscle car that might hide under the radar of his insurance agent. The truth is, Arnie wasn't set on anything in particular, as his story reveals.

"I was out one night looking at cars with a buddy, and we went for a test drive in a new red '69 Z/28," Arnie tells us. We all know the story of the Trans-Am–inspired Camaro, and you can imagine Arnie running through the gears of the mandatory four-speed, and revving the high winding, solid-lifter 302 for all its worth. Whether it was because of the gas-sucking tendencies of the Camaro's 780-cfm double pumper or (more likely) because the dealer kept little more than fumes in the tank of the lot cars, the test drive abruptly ended when Arnie and his friend ran out of gas.

The test drive abruptly ended when Arnie and his friend ran out of gas

Arnie says, "Ironically, we ended up right near the local Ford dealer, Scarff Ford in Auburn, Washington, so we got out to take a look. They had this Grabber Blue Cobra on the showroom floor, and by the end of the evening I'd bought it. I called up the Chevy dealer and told them to come get their car," chuckles Arnie. He recalls the date like it was yesterday: October 22, 1969.
Of course a 1970 Ford Cobra, and this one in particular, is quite a different car than a '69 Z/28. Rather than a pony car born of the corner carvers at Riverside and Laguna Seca, Arnie opted for a highly stylized big-block intermediate that was most at home cruising the streets of his hometown of Puyallup. With its 370hp 429 Cobra Jet and C6 automatic, the Cobra was powerful but easy to drive. The hydraulic lifters and Rochester 700-cfm carb meant nearly care-free maintenance. The Cobra was roomy as well, but in the case of this car, seating was limited to five since it came with optional bucket seats and console. In the end though, we suspect a great deal of the appeal for Arnie came down to the vivid Grabber Blue paint and trendy shaker hoodscoop. Some things never change, for (in our minds anyway) those two items are still what stand out today.

2/7 Featuring an 11.3:1 compression ratio and 2.24/1.72-inch valves, 429 Cobra Jets were rated at 370 hp even with their juice cam and 700-cfm Rochester Quadrajet. Yes, a Q-jet! We know the latter two items were often pitched in the interest of increased performance, but Arnie’s car has always remained stock. The optional ram-air shaker scoop seen here didn’t alter the horsepower rating.

Perhaps surprisingly, this is one muscle car that was never enhanced for additional performance. Arnie left the car absolutely stock throughout the years, while rolling 150,000 miles onto the odometer as a daily driver until the late '90s. So how could a young man resist the temptation to make a good thing even better?

Arnie says, "I was a midget racer at the time and am still involved in the sport today with my sons and grandson Trey. Frankly, I got all my speed thrills on the track, so I never felt the need to make the Cobra any faster than it already was." Arnie's point is well taken, as the power-to-weight ratio of a midget is downright impressive. Try 350 hp in an 850-pound chassis!

The Cobra was powerful but easy to drive

After the Cobra sat idle for about 15 years, Arnie decided in 2011 that the time was right to whip it back into shape. He turned the car over to Tom Emmert and company at Emmert Restorations in Enumclaw, Washington. The crew took the car apart, cleaning and detailing many of the still original components and replacing or rebuilding what was required. The sheetmetal is original to the car and required little more than a couple of patch panels and bodywork basics before being ready for a new coat of Grabber Blue using PPG's Nexa Autocolor. The drivetrain was pulled apart and the 429 rebuilt by Portland Engine Rebuilders. It went back together in stock form save for a hydraulic roller cam with similar specs to original. Several pulls on the engine dyno revealed 428 hp at 5,700 rpm and 460 lb-ft at 3,600 rpm.

3/7 We are happy to report that Arnie is still driving his Cobra, even in its immaculate, post-restoration condition.

Tom Emmert had the Cobra finished in the spring of 2013, and we caught up with Arnie not long after doing what he's always loved best: driving. He says that's what he'll always do with the car, and we suspect Arnie's sons and grandsons are in on the act by now as well. Since Arnie is pretty pragmatic about what a car is and does, you probably won't see him and his Cobra at a show anytime soon, but that doesn't mean there isn't plenty of love for this mechanized family member of 40-plus years. Quite the contrary!

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At a Glance
1970 Torino Cobra
Owned by: Arnie Starks, Puyallup, WA
Restored by: Emmert Restorations, Enumclaw, WA
Engine: 429ci/428hp Cobra Jet V-8
Transmission: C6 3-speed automatic
Rearend: Nodular-case 9-inch with 31-spline axles, 3.50 gears, and Traction -Lok
Interior: Black vinyl bucket seat
Wheels: 14x7 steel
Tires: F70-14 Goodyear Polyglas

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7/7 An ill-fated test drive in a ’69 Z/28 led Arnie Starks to buy this Cobra back in October 1969. He drove it daily into the ’90s and recently had the car restored to its former glory.

1963 Chevrolet Impala Wagon - Like a Longneck, Only Better

Long in the tooth, loooong in the roof

A four-door, huh? If it’s a dedicated class car that fits the bracket best with four ports rather than two, or if it’s some sort of gnarly collectible, then that’s what you must have. Otherwise, most people leave these cars where they are, orphans of a sort, body lines severely interrupted by those extra lines and creases. We don’t want sleek; we just want simple. The exception, of course, is a four-door with a long roof trailing behind.

The venerable station wagon whispers something different about its owner; in very short terms, it’s a willingness to gleefully step beyond the usual. For many of us, wagons were the prescribed mode of suburban family transport in the middle of the last century, that wonderful era before the inundation of the minivan and the grossly mislabeled Sport Utility Vehicle. Station wagons appealed to anyone with a penchant for space and utility, from hauling your buds from one riot to the next or just toting those bales of slightly soggy peat moss. For grassroots drag racers, they also provided the basis for a fine tow rig and you didn’t have to think very hard about that.

Mark Morehouse of Cottage Grove, Minnesota, had this idea in his head for his ’63 Impala: “I wanted to build a station wagon because they are overlooked as a hot rod. I got the car from a farm field and spent the next five years restoring it.” Morehouse has done this before, built the car mostly by himself but like most rodders, he parceled out the body treatment and the interior upgrades. “I have had many cars,” he said. “Too many to list.” He’s put lots of toil and lots of loot in this shooting brake, though, something on the order of $125K, compounded by a five-year stretch in garage jail. One proud day in June 2011 Mark’s Orphan rolled out under its own power and since then Morehouse lives in it about a 1,000 miles a year.

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And his investments have since provided a tangible return: Best Wagon at Goodguys Iowa. Mark blows minds at Back to the ’50s shows in St. Paul, Minnesota, and at many local gatherings as well. It’s a car that people tend to remember. It stands out by virtue of exclusivity. In the day, the ’63 sedans looked dowdy compared to the sleek ’62 bubbletop predecessors. They weren’t (and still aren’t) popular and the wagon was way out there somewhere near Mars, nearly 18 feet stem to stern with a monster 119 inches between the wheels. Curb weight hovers around 3,800 pounds so this is neither a lightweight nor a fleet-of-foot drag racer. Mark’s Orphan’s Revenge Impala is simply a cruiser in the finest tradition, one that makes the ants scream at the flip of a switch.

Though there are complete custom frames available, Mark stuck with the original ’rails that he scrubbed, re-welded, and powdercoated. He used this heavy platform and customized it with bits from several manufacturers to complete the system. He began the conversion with Classic Performance Products (CPP) 2-inch drop spindles, RideTech tubular control arms companion to the ShockWave air springs and a Hotchkis antisway bar. Around the rear of the chassis, Mark inserted RideTech’s StrongArms system to locate the 9-inch housing and accommodate the air springs. Untoward body roll is controlled by the other Hotchkis bar.

A standard-ratio 605 steering box points the car on 18x8 Intro Prowlers swept by 245/40 BFG g-Force rubber. The CPP discs are 13.0 inches in diameter and utilize dual-piston calipers. At the aft end, we see an 11-inch disc CPP conversion shadowed by Intro 20x10s fitted with 275/35 g-Force intimidators.

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Since power for the big Imp was not meant to be the least bit scary, a smooth, civil, low-talking small-block more than met Mark’s criterion. A crate engine from the Edelbrock portfolio sufficed nicely. He chose a Signature Series 383 (#23 production) that features a forged crankshaft, an RPM hydraulic roller, pump-gas pal 9.5:1 compression ratio, Edelbrock E-Tech 200 aluminum cylinder heads, and Thunder Series 800-cfm carburetor on top of a 75161 Air-Gap intake manifold. On the other side of the cylinder heads, 1 3/4-inch primaries dump into 2 1/2-inch stainless steel exhaust pipes that carry the flow to exits incorporated into the bodywork just ahead of the wheelwells. On the Edelbrock dynamometer, this engine produces 460 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque, just the ticket for Mark’s slow rider, but for the receiving end of this conservative bullet (and likely thoughts of increasing torque), he sought a transmission with a kryptonite demeanor. It’s a hefty 4L80E transmission monitored by an HGM Electronics Compushift controller—a unit that requires no computer assistance to make it sing. Grunt spirals down to a Ford 9-inch utilizing Strange Engineering axles, a positive traction device, and a 4.11:1 gearset.

Where the mechanicals are more or less standard items that don’t require much fabrication to install, the changes to the big Imp’s metal were extensive and administered by Macik’s Paintin’ Place in Hector, Minnesota. The underside was thoroughly scoured, primed, and painted to match the planned exterior treatment. Dane at Macik’s tuned up the shiny side, too, blending in those areas that tend to break the big car’s busy lines. After correcting the quarter-panels on both sides of the car and fabricating new footwells and floor sections (the legacy of the raw earth in that farmer’s field in South Dakota), he eliminated the cowl grille at the base of the windshield, removed the door handles and sideview mirrors, and filled the trim holes.

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But the most extensive creativity is found in areas that are normally invisible. The engine compartment is unlike anything we’ve ever seen on a ’63 Impala, or on any other car for that matter. It represents the virtual socket that the engine seems plugged into, a sculpted, seamless flow from the grille-to-radiator filler panel and inner fenders to the smooth, unencumbered firewall. With the bonnet open, these changes completely affect the look of the Impala, streamlining the usually busy maw and lending a feeling of completeness. Macik’s massaged the rear storage compartment, too, secreting the RideTech air tank and its ancillary equipment beneath that trap door. Macik’s Dane and Adam handled the prep work, application of the primer coats, and then the Ford Mineral Gray and Black. When it was time, Dane fired up the airbrush and laid down the “trim” on the Impala’s flanks.

Despite its subtle shades and decidedly un-racy demeanor, the interior is nonetheless warm, savory, and inviting. Though the stock dashboard appears an exotic touch, it was transformed by the Dakota Digital instruments and clean looks in the style of the original. Mark put the critical RideTech keyboard directly beneath the gauge flock and a Ron Francis wiring scheme snakes beneath it. The stock benches were swathed in tough, easy to maintain black and natural Ultraleather as tailored by Weber’s Custom Interiors in Alexandria, Minnesota. Mark then cozies to a Billet Specialties Fast Lane steering wheel (on an ididit column) and nudges that cheeky Lokar shift stick.

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Mark puts it in perspective: “If it weren’t for Dane, Dennis, Penny, and Adam at Macik’s, I would never have gotten it done. They are the best.”

So what’s the upshot? That the ready supply of vintage tin is fast dwindling and the darlings are becoming a lot rarer now, making the not-so-popular pieces look very attractive – stuff that should command the same respect as their brethren. That old thief time won’t wait. Let’s get to it.

1967 Chevrolet Camaro - Overclocked

By Raising the Clock Speed on his ’67 Camaro, Justin Smith Transformed it Into an LS-powered, Four-Linked Beast

Computer geeks call it overclocking. Let's say you're building a custom PC packed with a beastly Intel Core i-7 4960X CPU. Granted that its 3.60 GHz processor is plenty fast enough for the average Facebooking housewife, but dudes watching NSFW videos while that housewife isn't looking need as much speed as possible. A common mod is to overclock the CPU—which can speed up a system by 20 percent or more—but also requires a bigger power supply, enhanced cooling fans, and a more durable motherboard. This increased performance comes with an increased risk of parts failure, which is another way of saying that the entire exercise sounds a whole lot like hot rodding a muscle car. As a hot rodder who happens to be a self-professed computer geek, Justin Smith appropriately named his car the Overclock Camaro. Considering that his '67 is replete with a 530hp LS2, a six-speed stick, a four-link suspension, and massive brakes and rollers, coming up with a clever name isn't the only thing Justin did right.

Taking cues from his gearhead dad, Justin's been working on cars ever since he could hold a wrench. His interest in GM horsepower took an unusual path, but it eventually wound its way to the quintessential Bow Tie brawler: a first-gen Camaro done up Pro Touring style. Back in high school, Justin was big into the off-roading scene. He dropped a small-block Chevy and a five-speed into his Jeep Wrangler, then jacked it up and hit the trails. After stepping up to a Hummer, then building another LT1-powered Wrangler for fun, Justin decided it was time for a change of pace. "I bought a fourth-gen Camaro, and within a year I got it up to 540 rear-wheel hp with ported heads, a bigger cam, and a 100-shot of nitrous. That's what got me into LS-series small-blocks," he explains. "Once the Hummer scene faded and gas prices spiked, I really wanted to build a first-gen Camaro. My two passions are computer engineering and building cars, so I wanted to implement as much modern technology into the car as possible. My goal was to build a first-gen Camaro that had the handling, braking, and ride quality of a late-model."

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After a tedious search, Justin picked up a running and driving '67 Camaro for $2,300, which even 10 years ago was a screaming deal. While custom PC builders have the luxury of starting with a brand-new case, or chassis, car builders don't usually have that option. "The car was a primered up piece of junk with a 327 and a three-speed. I drove it around the block, realized it had no brakes, parked it in my garage, and within a week I completely disassembled it down to a bare shell," he recalls. "I got everything sandblasted and etched, then tore into the bodywork. The car had some rust around the windshield (and rear window) and behind the rear tires, but I was able to retain most of the original sheetmetal. While everything was stripped down, I notched the frame and mini-tubbed the back to make more room for some big tires, and shortened up the bumpers."

With the bodywork complete and a fresh coat of black paint laid down, Justin could now get hot and heavy on overclocking his Camaro. This required upping the underhood grunt big time. He secured a stock LS2 short block, fit a Texas Speed 228/228-at-0.050 hydraulic roller cam, and then installed a GM LH8 oil pan to clear the F-body chassis. Feeding the 364ci bottom end with a steady air supply are a set of GM L92 aluminum cylinder heads, an L76 intake manifold, and a ported LS2 throttle body. With a reprogrammed GM computer controlling the flow of fuel and electrons, the simple yet potent engine combo is good for 451 hp and 434 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheels. For the ultimate in durability and fuel economy, a Tremec T-56 six-speed manual trans and a Moser 9-inch rearend round out the driveline. "GM had just come out with the ZZ572 crate motor as I started building this car, so I briefly considered getting one, but I ultimately decided to go for newer technology with an LS small-block," Justin opines.

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Since modern Pro Touring machines don't live on horsepower alone, Justin fully revamped the Camaro's underpinnings as well. To bring the F-body's chassis into the 21st century, the factory front suspension got updated with Global West control arms, spindles, and a sway bar. Out back, the archaic leaf springs got booted in favor of a complete RideTech four-link suspension system, while VariShock coilovers are situated at every corner. To vastly improve the Camaro's stopping power, Justin installed Baer 13-inch disc brakes in the front and rear. Sticking it all to the pavement are Michelin Pilot Sport tires wrapped around 18-inch front and 19-inch rear Boze Boost wheels.

 

Although killer first-gen Camaros are a dime a dozen these days, Justin's a stickler for details, and his creative touches abound throughout the car. Outside, the flush-fit windshield and rear window, blacked-out bumpers, billet door handles, and carbon-fiber front and rear spoilers lend a vibe that's as clean and simple as it is contemporary and sophisticated. Beneath the hood, there's a flattened firewall, a custom cold-air induction system, steel braided stainless hoses everywhere, a billet clutch fluid reservoir, and custom billet coil brackets. Inside, Justin transplanted some seats out of an '06 GTO, and modified a second-gen Camaro center console to fit. The custom door panels are built from aluminum and covered in leather. Likewise, billet switches, knobs, pedal covers, and shifter rings tastefully contrast the black leather and upholstery.

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While many hot rodders would consider the overclocking process complete at this point, a computer whiz like Justin took things one step further by integrating cutting-edge electronics into the Camaro's cockpit. "One of the coolest custom features of the car is a tablet docked in the center console. It's programmed with the Torque Pro app, which enables it to communicate with the engine computer through a Bluetooth adapter plugged into the OBD-II diagnostic port," he explains. "The program displays engine rpm, coolant temperature, oil temperature, inlet air temperature, and trouble codes. It also has a g-meter, a GPS system, and a data logger. If any of the engine vitals fall outside normal operating conditions, the tablet triggers an audible alert. It also syncs with my phone as soon as I get in the car so I can use it for email and to play music."

Those that can fix sheetmetal and write computer code are a rare breed indeed, and needless to say both skills require tremendous amounts of patience and attention to detail. For Justin Smith, the product of such a diverse skill set is one spectacular '67 Camaro, and we're not the only ones who have taken notice. Not only has the car won multiple awards and trophies, as word of Justin's good work spread, people began hiring Justin to work on their cars. Soon, Smithy Customs was born. He's got several unique customer projects in the works, and we can't wait to see them. That's not too shabby at all for a computer geek who figured out that overclocking muscle cars is even more entertaining that overclocking CPUs.

Tech Check
Owner:	Justin Smith, Houston, Texas
Vehicle:	1967 Chevrolet Camaro
Engine
Type:	GM Gen IV small-block
Displacement:	364 ci
Compression Ratio:	10.6:1
Bore:	4.000 Inches
Stroke:	3.622 Inches
Cylinder Heads:	Ported GM L92 rectangle-port aluminum castings
Rotating Assembly:	Stock cast crank, powdered metal rods, and hypereutectic pistons
Valvetrain:	Factory GM lifters, rockers, and timing set
Camshaft:	Texas Speed 228/228-at-0.050 hydraulic roller; 0.588/0.588-inch lift; 112-degree LSA
Induction:	GM L76 intake manifold, ported LS2 throttle body
Fuel System:	Vaporworks/Rick's Stainless fuel cell and pump; GM LS2 injectors
Ignition:	GM coil packs, plug wires, and spark plugs
Exhaust:	BRP 1.875-inch headers, custom X-pipe, dual 3-inch Pypes mufflers
Output (to the rear wheels):	451 hp and 434 lb-ft
Drivetrain
Transmission:	Tremec T-56 six-speed manual trans; Spec aluminum flywheel and clutch
Rear Axle:	Moser M9 9-inch rearend housing, centersection, 31-spline axles, and 3.90:1 gears; Detroit Truetrac limited-slip differential
Chassis
Steering:	Unisteer rack-and-pinion
Front Suspension:	Global West control arms, spindles, and sway bar; VariShock coilovers
Rear Suspension:	RideTech four-link, VariShock coilovers
Brakes:	Baer 13-inch rotors and two-piston calipers, front and rear
Wheels & Tires
Wheels:	Boze Boost 18x8, front; 19x12, rear
Tires:	Michelin Pilot Sport 255/40-18, front; 345/30-19, rear
Interior
Seats:	Stock 2006 GTO
Carpet:	GM black
Shifter:	Pro 5.0
Exterior
Paint:	PPG Black
Hood:	Stock cowl induction

1969 Ford Shelby Mustang G.T.500 - Stairway To Heaven

Even More Fun to Drive Than Look At

In 1969, checking the "Shelby G.T. 500" block on your Ford dealer's order form got you a 428-powered missile that differed from a stock Mustang more than any other variation on the Ford pony car theme before or since. The car's unique fiberglass front end was actually the prototype created for a new Mustang that wouldn't even be introduced for two more years. A total of five NACA air ducts adorned the '69's composite hood, making the car look as outrageous as its designers envisioned. Granted, this particular model year had deeper roots to Ford than to Carroll Shelby, but 40 years after it was produced, its place in muscle car history is still firmly entrenched.

This particular snake was originally sold through Bill Watkins Ford/Shelby in Phoenix to a gentleman named David Radius Hudson. His dad was a successful rancher in the area with lots of land, so he knew plenty about horses and snakes. That might explain, at least in part, why he bought both of his sons new Shelby Mustangs. The other son got a convertible.

2/6 Here’s the view many people saw of Shelby Mustangs in general. But it looked particularly good in 1969. In fact, most street and track competitors probably enjoyed getting trumped by these cars so they’d have something attractive to look at while they tried to sooth their egos.

This gorgeous fastback is the 873rd 1969 Ford Shelby Mustang G.T. 500 of 1,534 and was built on February 10, 1969. Number-one son had the dealer install a Detroit Locker and rear window slats. The Shelby cost his dad $5,700. The young Mr. Hudson kept this machine for many years with the intent of giving it to his son when he turned 16. How lucky can a kid get? But to the relief of Shelby lovers everywhere, Junior told Pop he wanted a brand-new Mustang instead. Good thing too, because he promptly wrecked the newer 'Stang.

About that time, a neighbor friend offered to buy the Shelby since he had been lusting after the 500 for years anyway. He paid $13,500 for it with 61,000 miles showing on the odometer. This new owner had the car repainted Candy apple Red over the original hue of Royal Maroon, then kept the Shelby for 10 years before deciding to increase Canada's property value by selling it to a guy who lived in Ontario. Eventually it was sold to its fourth owner, who lived in Naples, Florida, because that buyer just had to have it—until he found a '68 Shelby he had to have even more. That's when Rob Briggs of Atlanta stepped into the picture. By that time Rob had to have this Shelby, and he still does.
Rob has been a muscle car and sports car enthusiast all his life. He lived in London as a teen and became obsessed with the image and lifestyle that radiated from a neighbor's Aston Martin DB6. When he moved back to the states as a 15-year-old in 1968, he was punched squarely in the psyche by the American muscle car phenomenon. Naturally, he's been hooked ever since. As a high school senior he drove a '68 Camaro convertible. On his way to college at the University of Texas he orchestrated possession of a new twin-cam Lotus Europa. To this day Rob still has an affinity for English cars and drives a supercharged Jag XKR when not putting the whip to his Shelby Mustang.

His is a matching-numbers car, but since Rob loves to drive his Shelby even more than he loves to look at it parked in his garage, he contracted noted Ford racing specialist Gary Grimes to build a fresh 428 engine using a modern block, pistons, crank, and cam. The original heads were transplanted to the new engine along with the peripheral gear, while the original block slumbers peacefully waiting to be called back to active duty.

3/6 With 428 cubes, 335 hp, and Ram Air induction, the ’69 Shelby G.T. 500 generated sufficient forward motion to grab the attention of those already transfixed on the car’s exterior. Yes, the A/C still works just fine.

Everything works on this Shelby including the A/C, clock, and original eight-track tape player. OK, there is one fly in the ointment. It seems the Led Zeppelin IV tape is effectively stuck on "Stairway to Heaven." But how bad could that be?

Rob's Shelby was shown a number of times by previous owners and always placed well, including a Silver in SAAC's Division 2 Concours class. But showing and looking are not Rob's idea of fun. Driving is. Muscle car aficionados in Atlanta see this striking red machine cruising the streets often. To date, snake No. 873 has elegantly slithered a total of 79,000 miles.
This was essentially the last Shelby G.T. 500 of the "classic" era. It rounded out an ultra-high-performance Mustang product line for the '69 model year that will probably never be matched for sheer brute force. Consider the stablemates of the year: the G.T. 500 of course, the 428 Cobra Jet, and the highly touted and craved Boss 429.
Despite all the great Mustang variations over the years, the Shelby was a constant delight to their owners and a source of pride for the marketing folks at Ford. By 1969, we were so spoiled by Shelby Mustangs, with their thirst for speed and inherent agility, that many of us didn't appreciate them like we probably should have. Some enthusiasts actually considered the '69-'70 cars too big and plush for an honest Shelby. But four decades later we are beginning to realize these iterations were still very slick and impressive packages for such big, nasty engines. If you need a fresh reminder and happen to be showing off on the streets of Atlanta, you just might get one. MCR

At a Glance
1969 Shelby G.T. 500
Owned by: Rob Briggs, Atlanta, GA
Engine: 428ci/335hp Cobra Jet V-8
Transmission: C6 automatic
Rearend: Ford 9-inch with 3.50 gears and Detroit Locker
Interior: White vinyl bucket seat
Wheels: Original 15x7 Shelby five-spoke
Tires: P255/60R15 Goodyear Eagle GT

1965 Chevrolet El Camino - Class Of Its Own

Is it a truck? Or is it a car? Chevrolet’s El Camino—spanish for “the path”—seems to have always had somewhat of a hard time finding its own path, but for no real valid reason.
Despite always being based on a passenger-car platform, GM categorized the El Camino (and subsequent GMC Caballero) as a truck. And rightfully so—they’ve got beds … albeit, much like Australian Utes, integrated beds. But for many a die-hard classic truck enthusiast, the Elcos, and their model inspiration Ford Rancheros, don’t quite fit into their utilitarian cliques.

Bottom line, and all that really matters, is that for owners such as Bob Yelveerton, the El Camino is one of Chevy’s highest achievements—in either category. Bob’s ’65 is a prime example of a super clean restomod, with a heavy lean on the Pro Touring influence underneath.

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A Line-X franchisee by day (probably a little obvious by the images) in Wichita, Kansas, Yelveerton initially acquired the El Camino via eBay. With the help of Pedigo Performance and Devlin’s Rod and Custom, he was able to turn out quite the eye-catcher in the span of three years.

“As a die-hard muscle car guy, I decided an El Camino would allow me to build a multi-purpose car that could be a shop truck, run the drags, or do the twists and turns (let me tell you—15 minutes on a road course is much more intense than 10 seconds at the drags, and it will flat wear you out!). It had been a dedicated drag car when I bought it and was undriveable on the street,” Bob recounted.

Subsequently, the ’65 was rebuilt three times. The first, obviously, to make it streetable. The second time to replace and update a blown transmission as well as redo the interior. The third, and final go-around, however, was the full Monty. “I got the Pro Touring bug after I shattered the 700-R4 trans. We completely tore it down, added the touring suspension, new Moser rearend, a manual-reverse valvebody Turbo 400 backed by a Gear Vendors under/overdrive, big Baer brake system, modern lighting, and lined the entire engine compartment with Line-X. The engine was not producing enough vacuum for the brakes, so we installed a CPP HydraStop system and a Lee power steering box.
“I can load my race tires, BBQ grill, and a cooler in the back and head to the track without needing a trailer. What more can you ask for? It looks cool, is fun to drive—more fun to drive ‘fast’ (the look on the face of the guy in his brand-new Mustang as you pass him in something older than he is, is priceless)—and it’s tax deductible!”

We couldn’t agree more—what more can you ask for?!

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Tech Check
Owner:	Bob Yelveerton, Wichita, Kansas
Vehicle:	1965 Chevy El Camino
Engine
Type:	’09 GM 502 by Pedigo Performance
Displacement:	502 ci
Cylinder Heads:	GM aluminum, ported
Rotating Assembly:	GM
Valvetrain:	COMP Cams
Camshaft:	COMP Thumper
Induction:	Edelbrock Air-Gap manifold; ProForm 750-cfm carb
Ignition:	MSD electronic
Accessories:	Vintage Air FrontRunner accessory drive
Exhaust:	Ceramic-coated long-tube headers
Drivetrain
Transmission:	GM TH400 manual-reverse valvebody; Gear Vendors under/overdrive
Rear Axle:	12-bolt Posi, 3.73 limited-slip
Chassis
Suspension Installer:	Savitsky Classics and Customs
Brakes:	Baer 13-inch rotors
Rear Suspension:	lowered coils, Bilstein shocks
Brakes:	Baer 10-inch rotors
Wheels & Tires
Wheels:	Bonspeed; 18x8 front, 18x9.5 rear
Tires:	Falken; 245/40 front, 285/40 rear
Interior
Upholstery:	By owner
Material:	Black vinyl
Seats:	ProCar
Dash/console:	Stock / Custom by owner
Steering wheel/column:	Grant / ididit
Instrumentation:	Auto Meter Carbon
Air conditioning:	Vintage Air
Exterior
Paint:	PPG Yellow
Grille:	Stock
Hood:	Cowl induction
Bumpers:	Stock
Extras:	Line-X’d bed and engine compartment

1971 Chevrolet Nova - Old-School Rules

Life lessons for the past 28 years

Were you just a casual CHP reader, you might get the idea that the high-dollar cars featured here are the normal currency of the realm, when in fact they merely represent the fringe, the candy, the what-I-could-do-with-suitcase-fulla-dough mentality, when the core of the business is infused with enthusiasts much less fussy and with goals much more attainable. Since the hot rod is their own, they take responsibility for as much of its creation as possible. In this way, the car becomes a learning tool and a fine bonding agent for the builders. Luckily, Jim Makerov was a tool-and-die maker and had raced a ’65 Nova in A/Modified Production in the ’60s.

It may also be a matter of humility. Son Mike Makerov says this: “Honors or awards earned? Not a one. My Dad and I didn’t build the car for that. We built it to spend time together and see what we could do on a fixed budget and my Alpha Beta box-boy checks.”

Makerov the younger’s hot rod life began in 1986. He was 16. He paid $1,350 for the ’71 Nova and drove it home. Dad’s constant tinkering had inevitably drawn his son into wrenching on cars so he was ready for the next big step. There would be no jump to power. The idea was to use the 307, learn with it and make it dead-nuts reliable because Mike needed it for school and then a job after that. Though envisioned mainly as a sticky-back-tire straight-line destroyer, the Nova would see road duty as well and Dad knew a lot about building an engine combination that would catapult the Nova from a peanut butter sandwich daily driver status to a street-and-strip creature straight out of the old-school archives.

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Over time, they upgraded the rear axle with 10-bolts…that disintegrated on a regular basis before they stepped up to a much stronger 12-bolt fitted with 3.36:1 gears and a Powertrax differential. Instead of swapping out the automatic for something “stronger,” they’ve remained loyal to the Turbo 350. Chino Hills Transmission improved it and included a 3,000-stall B&M Holeshot converter. The Makerovs installed an auxiliary fluid cooler but retained a stock Chevrolet driveshaft.

In their garage in Chino, Jim and Mike prepared the chassis with simple bolt-ons, combining Competition Engineering subframe connectors, aluminum body mounts, and traction bars. They rebuilt the front suspension with PST bits and added Moroso coils and Comp Eng adjustable shock absorbers. They retained the antisway bar but run it loose for drag racing. They plugged PST polyurethane bushings in the spring eyes of the ’69 Camaro multi-leafs and finished with Comp Eng adjustable dampers.

Since neither the agility nor the braking energy were issues, the Makerovs saved thousands by rehabbing the factory disc/drum setup. Since this is an old-school-driven project, 15-inch rims were a given. Weld Drag Lites shine all the way around in 7- and 8-inch widths. The rubber is generic, too: 205/70 BFG Comp T/A chased by Mickey Thompson 255/60 ET Street Radials.

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In 1988, the men replaced the 307 with a stout 383 that served until 1992. Then it was big-block time. A 0.030-over 454 that they’d built for Jim’s ’57 pickup was curiously diverted to the Nova mainstream. In Ontario, California, the Wilson Brothers performed the requisite machine work, ground the crank, and performed the dynamic balancing. Meanwhile, up in San Jose, Victory Machine fussed over the cast-iron closed-chamber oval port cylinder heads. Jim spent lots of porting and polishing time and then assembled them with Manley valves and COMP Cams springs. The cast crankshaft, refurbished stock rods, and 9.5:1 Speed-Pro forged pistons comprise the rotating assembly. It’s connected to the COMP 280H cam (0.520-inch lift; 230 degrees duration) by a Pete Jackson geardrive (how’s that for old-school?). COMP 1.7:1 roller rockers are tipped by COMP 7/16-inch diameter pushrods. The Makerovs upgraded the oiling system with a Milodon 8-quart sump and a Melling high-volume pump.

The top of the engine hosts a vacuum-secondary Holley 4150 750-cfm carburetor (with K&N filter) on an Edelbrock Performer intake manifold. Spark flares from an MSD 6A box and Mallory Unilite distributor and timing is all in at 36 degrees. Noxious gases are extracted by Hooker Super Comp headers featuring 1 7/8-inch primary pipes and 3-inch dumps trailed by a 3-inch exhaust system channeling into Flowmaster mufflers. Mike: “The engine makes in the neighborhood of 450 horsepower and 450 lb-ft and I shift it at 5,700 rpm. It’s been in the Nova since 1993, with a fresh one (bearings, rings, cylinders honed, valve job) built by me in 2003.”

Resourcefulness is key to the budget build. You use what you can when you can. To that end, though it might not follow air quality code to the letter, an open-air forum (perhaps with a roof) for bodywork and paint is copacetic on California’s myriad calm days.

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Mike: “Thanks to my good friends Doug and Mike Trow, it took about year for the bodywork and to get it ready for paint. They sprayed it on New Year’s morning 1994 in their backyard carport. After waiting about a week for it cure, Mike decided he wasn’t happy and said he was going to shoot it again. After another week of complete color-sand and prep, he shot it again.” Ten years later, the PPG single-stage Turquoise (mixed by Mike) pops brilliant and looks like it went on yesterday.

In the fun room, Mike directs the proceedings from a ’92 Mustang seat that Classic Upholstery in Montclair, California, dressed in cloth. The dashboard is stock, although a trio of ancillary meters depend from its bottom. The 5-inch Auto Meter tachometer is not stock. While he clicks the B&N Holeshot ratchet (Line-Loc attached), he handles the Grant Elite GT steering wheel. Though air conditioning is not part of this scheme, amplified tunes are. Mike chose a Sony AM/FM/CD 40-watt, 4-channel head unit, and Orion 230W amp, two Pioneer 6-inch 3-way speakers in the door and put another pair of Pioneer 6x9 3-way speakers in the package tray.

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Since the Makerovs and friends were willing to put so much sweat into this project, Mike estimates that the cash outlay for the last 28 years was a piddling $20 grand—the cost of a “modern” engine and driveline these days. If you’re looking for monster performance here then please turn away. Amazing empirical data was not the object. The Nova is about a partnership, not a killer car. Mike lays rubber on the Irwindale eighth- and the Fontana quarter-mile. At a 3,800-pound running weight, it has produced a best of 12.64 at 108.

But the racing is just one part of the attraction. The other is conveyance in a social atmosphere. Mike does the annual Corn-Feed Run and never misses the gathering at Manna Donuts Sunday mornings in Chino.

“Really thinking about it now,” said Mike. “The Nova is a great looking and performing car that my Dad and I got to build together. But more than that, it taught me patience, how to solve problems, how to earn what you get, how to plan, how to take care of and appreciate what you have, how to make various parts come together and work as a system, and how to keep making things better. My Dad passed in March 2013, but my wife, Julie, had Liam, our first child, in September of that year. So the Nova will have another go-around at bonding father and son in the garage while I teach my son the same life lessons that my dad taught me.”

1967 AMC Rambler - Rogue Sleeper

AMC’s Unknown Muscle Car

There were several indications that the 1967 AMC Rambler Rogue was a muscle car, but the model remained mostly unknown in the performance arena. On paper it had impressive credentials: a two-door hardtop that weighed less than 3,000 pounds and was powered by a ('67-only) 343ci, 280-horse powerplant. Behind the V-8 was a BorgWarner close-ratio T10 four-speed and a Dana 20 rearend with 3.54 gears and a Track-Loc. In many ways it was the predecessor of the dramatic SC/Rambler and The Machine models that would follow.

And yet the Rogue had long been identified among AMC's stogy cars for older adults. There had never been much attention paid to performance.

Plus, in 1967 the pony car competition was overpowering. The Mustang had a three-year head start on the Rogue, weighed 150 pounds less, and could be ordered with a 390 powerplant worth 320 ponies. And then there was the Camaro, introduced in the same model year and available with up to 375 hp from the brutal 396 family.

The air cleaner decal is about the only place AMC trumpeted the performance of this sleeper Rogue.

Most important, the Mustang and Camaro used new body designs, while the Rogue was just a slicked-up Rambler. In fact, the Rambler name was on the rear valance and in the grille. Not good!

If AMC had actually wanted the Rogue to look like a legitimate competitor, couldn't AMC have given it a little performance pizzazz? You know, something like racing stripes, a blacked-out hood, a hoodscoop, or maybe a lower body stance?
Whether AMC had a pony car competition in mind or not, it certainly didn't materialize. Just 51 of these hardtop models were built, and they were around for just that single model year.
This example is owned by Howard Crum from northern Ohio. He is one of the few who knew what these cars were before he purchased it. AMC blood runs deep with this guy, the son of an AMC dealer and former owner of a '69 SC/Rambler. "With Dad being an AMC dealer, there were always American Motors cars around," he recalls.
"I was looking for an AMC model to restore back in 2001 and came across this ad for a '67 Rogue. I was immediately intrigued and got in touch with the guy. I found out that the car had been ordered by an AMC dealer for his son. He told him if he was caught drag racing, the car was gone. Only three days later, somebody ratted on the kid's racing activity, and the car went back."

AMC’s Rogue was a spiffy little hardtop, but it still had AMC’s squarish look since it was a version of the Rambler.

The dealer used the car for two decades as his daily driver before it was parked and then sold to the second owner, from whom Howard made the purchase. "The car was in amazingly good condition, but the fact that the engine wouldn't start made me nervous. But I bought it anyway for $4,500."

When Howard visited the 2003 Kenosha Homecoming event, where a prime AMC production plant had been located, he realized how really rare these cars are. "For that reason, I decided that a full restoration was warranted. I left the bodywork and painting to AMC expert Bert Mahan. He wanted the paint shade (Barbados Blue) to be exactly correct and hit it right on the button.
"The engine was brought up to spec by Bruce Sharp during a rebuild. There was a 0.020 overbore to clean up the cylinders, along with a slight step up in the cam and heads. The goal was to use as many original parts and pieces as possible," Howard explains.
When the car was completed in 2007, Howard took a number of short drives to ensure that everything was OK. Then he took the car to a show at Milan, Ohio. He says, "There was this avid Corvette owner that looked over the Rogue and said it was one beautiful Rambler! Wow, a Rambler impressed a Chevy owner. Who would have ever thought it?"

Besides the equipment in the Rogue option—the interior package with bucket seats, an AMC floor shift, and other items—this example also carries power steering, an AM radio, a vinyl roof, an 8,000-rpm tach, the convenience package, and bumper guards.

Since its restoration was finished, the Rogue has been entered in a dozen AMC shows and brought home gold every time, along with awards from a number of local shows. "I have only seen two other Rogues, both at AMC shows," says Howard. "It's very likely that there are few of them remaining today."

Howard tells us that fate may have played a role in his getting his AMC sleeper: "While checking the code on the rearend, I realized that there were only five of the expected seven numbers. I also realized that those five numbers were my ZIP Code."
Was this an omen? MCR
At A Glance
1967 Rambler Rogue
Owned by: Howard Crum, OH
Restored by: Owner, Bert Mahan, Bruce Sharp
Engine: 343ci/280hp V-8
Transmission: BorgWarner T10 close-ratio 4-speed
Rearend: Dana 20 with 3.54 gears and Track-Loc
Interior: Deluxe vinyl bucket seat
Wheels: 14-inch chrome Magnum 500
Tires: P205/70R14 BFGoodrich Radial T/A